Essential Cricket Rules Every Player Should Know

12th November 2024

Cricket is the craze of India. Here, people not only play and watch cricket but also celebrate and adore it. Within a few years, many players have emerged and have changed the history of cricket with their extraordinary performances. Inspired by them, many individuals are looking for their luck in cricket. So even if you are one of them, I wish you good luck. But don’t you think you are missing out on something? You should learn the cricket rules that will help you excel in the game. Let’s explore it here in this blog, where I have shared the basic cricket rules for your game.

Why are Cricket Rules Necessary?

Following the rules in cricket enables the smooth functioning of the game. Here are a few reasons why you should follow the basic cricket rules while playing

Fair Play

Fair play is necessary; let it be any game. If there is no fair play or any one of the team cheats, there can emerge a circumstance of war between both teams. Therefore, if there are rules to guide both teams, the entire match session will go smoothly.

Discipline

Discipline is also one of the significant aspects of playing. An amazing and most interesting fact about cricket is that discipline helps prevent misconduct and charges penalties for violent practices, promoting sportsmanship during playing.

Accuracy

These rules are helpful even in generating exact and accurate results. When teams play properly according to the rules, they either win or lose; when there are no rules, it might be difficult to declare the winner. Even during rain, the interrupted matches are calculated based on the DLS method in cricket, which is necessary to come to a proper conclusion.

Safety

Safety is the primary thing that these rules can provide you. Players who use a more aggressive style of playing during the game end up injuring the other players. Hence, implementing these rules in your game can add hidden security, preventing players from severe injuries.

Discernible

Applying these rules to the game can not only help the players to play smoothly but also help the viewers or the spectators to understand thoroughly. Let’s take it for example: if there is a wide ball, the batting player gets the point, and when the umpire shouts ‘wide,’ the viewer, who doesn’t even have an idea of the rules, comes to know that the technique is against the rules of the game. Therefore, rules are necessary based on the spectator’s view.

Therefore, the following are some reasons why rules are necessary for playing.

Basic Cricket Rules

Number of Players

  • The number of players in the cricket game is eleven, composed of a bowler, a batter, and a wicketkeeper. The main aim of both teams should be to score higher than the other.

Overs

  • Each over consists of 6 legal deliveries. Usually, in limited-overs cricket like the ODIs and T20, each has a set number of overs, 50 or 20. However, in test cricket, teams have unlimited overs but only play two innings each.

Bowling

  • The bowler must deliver with a straight arm and stay within the bowling crease. However, a bowler can bowl a limited number of overs depending on the format of the cricket played, which is either test, ODI, or T20.

No Ball and Wide Ball

  • No ball is a type of ball delivery that is unfair or passes over the batter’s waist. The ball is not considered one of the balls in the overs. It rewards the batting team with a run instead.
  • A wide ball is a ball that is out of the batters’ reach, making it difficult for them to make a shot. However, the batters are not eliminated for both the wide balls and the no-ball; instead, a run is added.

Innings

  • When it comes to innings, a team’s innings are taken when the team takes all ten wickets or when the allocated overs in the match are completed.

Dismissal

A batter can be terminated from the field for various reasons.

  • In the case of the ball hitting the stump.
  • If the fielder catches the ball without it being bounced on the ground.
  • A batsman is also out if the ball hits his leg rather than the wicket and hits after the wicket. It is called the LBW rule.
  • A run-out is when the batters have attempted to run but get out in between. In this, even the batters are terminated.

Result

  • The result is based on the highest scorer of the match. In short, the team that scored the highest runs wins the match.

The following are some cricket rules that you should follow during playing.

Frequently Asked Questions about Cricket Rules

How many players are allowed in a cricket team?

Both teams must have 11 players to play the game, including bowlers, batters, and wicket keepers. If there are marginal 2-4 players, they are considered substitutes.

What are the protection tools to use while playing cricket?

The most important tools to wear while playing cricket are gloves, batting pads, and a helmet, which protect your body and prevent it from getting injured. Regarding footwear, having the right cricket spike shoes is important to stay on your feet.

What is meant by wicket in cricket?

Wickets in cricket are a term used when the batters get out. It is also used alternatively for stumps, also known as wickets.

To conclude, the rules in cricket are fundamental to maintaining fair gameplay, promoting safety, and providing clarity for players and spectators. Understanding these rules helps us enjoy it, learn the game, and know all the nooks and corners of the game.

I hope the blog was helpful. Thank you!